China’s President Xi Jinping called on authorities to adopt measures to “effectively protect” the lives of his countrymen in the face of advancing covid-19, in his first public statements, this Monday, since Beijing relaxed health restrictions.
“We should start a patriotic health campaign in a more targeted way to strengthen prevention and control of the epidemic and effectively protect people’s lives, safety and health,” Xi said, according to state channel CCTV.
Also read: China says no new Covid deaths after changing criteria
Three years after the first cases of covid-19 were detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan (center), the Asian country is facing an explosive increase in the number of those infected with the virus.
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Many hospitals are overcrowded and pharmacies are facing a shortage of medicines. In addition, employees at several crematoria reported to AFP a marked increase in the number of bodies.
China has officially acknowledged only six deaths from covid-19 since the suspension of restrictions. Analysts, however, consider that the balance is much lower than the actual number of deaths, in a country where a large portion of the elderly are not vaccinated against covid-19.